- Communiversity Day to celebrate Valpo, Northwest Indiana on Sept. 18
When Matt Upshaw and his teammates step onto Brown Field for Valpo’s historic first night football game on Sept. 18, the junior quarterback knows the atmosphere will be electric.
“There’s something in the air when you play under the lights,” said Upshaw, a business and sports management major from Indianapolis. “The festivities that take place, the way the light hits the field, people in the community get really excited for a night game. As a player, you feel like you’re on a stage.”
Upshaw and the Crusaders football team will cap the University’s first Communiversity Day, a daylong celebration of Valpo’s special relationship with the Northwest Indiana community.
Communiversity Day will feature the debut of the new Crusader mascot, a pregame tailgate barbecue, family carnival games and a postgame fireworks show. To kick off the day, more than 100 students, faculty and staff members will participate in community service projects during the annual Valparaiso University Day of Caring.
Upshaw said the entire team is excited to be part of a historic event that will become an annual Valpo tradition.
“The fireworks, the dinner and everything else going on will make it a great experience for the entire community,” Upshaw said. “Our team also plans to do its part to make this game a historic night to remember.”
Pregame and halftime activities also will include an attempt to set the Guinness world record for the largest coordinated song and dance, and a musical performance by Chicago R&B artist Mechele Burtley, who recently signed a major label record contract.
President Mark Heckler said the event will provide a fun celebration for Valpo’s close-knit campus community and entire Northwest Indiana region.
“Our University is blessed to be located in Northwest Indiana and we look forward to starting a new annual tradition that honors our 152-year-old relationship,” said President Mark Heckler. “The future success of Valpo and Northwest Indiana are linked, and Communiversity Day provides an opportunity to strengthen our connection.”
Ticket information
Community members can purchase game tickets in advance for $5, providing admission to the Crusaders volleyball and football games that day. Tickets purchased in advance to a tailgate buffet-style barbecue are an additional $5.
Game tickets purchased on Sept. 18 are $10 for adults and $5 for high school students with an ID, and food tickets purchased on Sept. 18 are an additional $10. Children 10 and under are admitted free to the volleyball and football games and may eat for $5.
A family package, which includes four tickets to both the volleyball match and football game, and four food tickets, is available for $30.
Valpo faculty, staff and students will be admitted free to both games and can purchase food tickets in advance for $5 or on game day for $8.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Valpo athletics ticket office, located in the Athletics-Recreation Center, by phone at (219) 464-5233 or (877) MY-VU-TIX, or online. Ticket office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
